CECAFA U-17 tourney teams for MRI test

IN an effort to curb age cheating in the coming CECAFA U-17 Championship, slated for August 11-23 in Dar es Salaam, the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) is expected to conduct Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test for all of the participating teams.

Tanzania’s national U-17 football team’s players attend training at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam recently in preparation for the forthcoming CECAFA U-17 Championship, which will be held in the city. PHOTO: COURTESY OF TFF

Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Secretary General, Wilfred Kidao, said the hospital will conduct the test in collaboration with Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s doctors.

The CECAFA U-17 Championship will be used as a qualifying event for the 2019 AFCON U-17 finals, which will also take place in Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania has already qualified for the continental showpiece by virtue of being the event’s hosts.

Kidao said TFF applauds MOI for offering the service as age cheating is a serious misconduct in football in Africa.

The TFF official said the MRI test is aimed at eradicating age cheating, which has been a biggest problem in youths’ tournaments.

Kidao said on Monday, Tanzania’s U-17 national team’s players went for the test while their counterparts from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan did it yesterday. The results, he said, had yet to be released.

According to a press release from MOI signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Respicious Boniface, the facility is happy that it is involved in the growth of football in Tanzania.

He said MOI is ready to screen 100 players using the high technology and expertise. He hailed CAF for honouring the hospital with such a task.

Boniface said MOI will use the MRI, which has high technology, to detect to exact age of a player and it is the institution’s hope that the technology will bring age cheating in sports in the country to an end.

“CAF toured our facility where they found us fit to conduct such a screen, it's an honour for us to conduct this exercise, we also hail President John Pombe Magufuli for making sure that MOI has all required facilities,” read part of the release.

Outreach and Promotion Manager from TECC, Abdul Juma (C) speaking during the launching of the 5th phase of VIA Pathways to Work Program in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Second right is John Mwakasege from PTF and other officials from partner institutions involved in the program. Photo: courtesy of TECC.